Teaching Podcasts

Encouragement and Prayer: Pray Earnestly! (11/20/23)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Pray Earnestly! (11/20/23)

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This is the audio from the November 20, 2023 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

“Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.”
Luke 18:1 (NIV)

This week’s prayer emphasis will be about our need to pray!  I suspect one of the big reasons we need to seek God’s help in our prayer life is the instruction to “always pray”.  If God had said to simply pray when you feel like it or when it’s convenient, most of us could handle that.  But devoting ourselves to prayer is an entirely different task.  When we go to God about our prayer life, we open our self up to His instruction and guidance in the way we relate to Him.  As you pray this week, ask God to help you examine just how devoted to prayer you are.  Pray that you would understand your need for God’s  help in this part of your relationship with Him — as in all other parts.  Pray that you would be always watchful and thankful as you pray — both qualities that will require God’s help.  Pray that  your relationship with God would grow as your devotion to prayer grows.

“So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.”
Acts 12:5 (NIV)

Ask God to help you pray earnestly for those whose situations may seem hopeless.  Pray that you would be serious in the content of your prayers and in the expectation that God will act for the good of His children.  Ask God to help you always keep on praying without giving up.

You can find the live video feeds of these encouragement and prayer times on Impact Prayer Ministry’s Facebook page.

In prayer,
Tom

Good News: A Time To PRAY! (Sermon Audio)
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Good News: A Time To PRAY! (Sermon Audio)

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This is the audio from the November 19, 2023 sermon, “Good News: A Time To PRAY”, shared by Tom Lemler at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

Text: Luke 18

“Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.”
Luke 18:1 (NIV)

Today I continued a series from the gospel of Luke as we gaze deeply into God’s Word to find the good news of Jesus shared with us by Luke the physician.  As Jesus walked this earth, prayer was more than just something to open a meeting or bless the food, it was His lifeline with His Father.  His example and His teaching not only shows us how to pray, but tell us it is time to . . .

  • Persist: — (Luke 18:1-8)

    • While many people find the parable in the beginning of Luke eighteen to be confusing, the Bible makes it clear that this was told by Jesus to teach people that they should always pray and never give up.  If unjust people will eventually do what is right because of the persistence of a person seeking justice, how much more will our persistence pay off with a greater understanding of God always doing what is right.  Our persistence in prayer isn’t about us changing the mind of God but rather it is about us staying in communication with God so that we understand more fully His will in all circumstances.  When we realize that now is a time to pray, we find that now is a time to persist in our prayers.

  • Repent: — (Luke 18:9-14)

    • As Jesus teaches about our need to remain faithful in our conversations with the Father, He tells a story of two men who went to the temple to pray.  The story was told to address the problem of people putting their confidence in their own righteousness and thus looking down upon others.  The self-righteous Pharisee prayed to himself, or about himself, or probably a bit of both.  In fact, his prayer was even thankful that he was not like the sinners of the world or even like the other guy who had come to pray.  The other guy was a tax collector that came in a spirit of repentance asking God to have mercy on him.  His prayer brought him closer to God where he was justified and exalted through a humble spirit.  When we realize that now is a time to pray, we find that now is a time to repent.

  • Accept: — (Luke 18:15-17)

    • One of the favorite pictures in my mind is of a line of parents bringing their little children to Jesus just to have Him touch them.  As Luke tells this story, the picture is marred by the rebuke of the disciples who thought that Jesus was too important to bother with the little ones.  Jesus makes it clear that it is the children who understand the kingdom of God in a way that we never will until we become like little children.  At times, we have a tendency to create in our mind an idea of who should come to Jesus and who shouldn’t.  We push people away with our words and actions while Jesus desires for us to call them near.  It is not that we are called to accept the sin of others anymore than we are to accept our own sin, but we are called to accept the people.  When we realize that now is the time to pray, we find that now is the time to accept others just as we ourselves have been accepted.

  • Yield: — (Luke 18:18-30)

    • Jesus continued to teach about our communication with His Father as He interacted with a rich ruler who seemed to have a desire to relate to God on his own terms.  His desire is to know what must be done to gain eternal life and initially believes he has done everything that the law would require.  Jesus lists off a number of commandments which the man claims to have kept from the time he was a young boy.  It is interesting to me that he knew the law and felt he had kept the law, but was still concerned about whether his goodness was good enough.  The instructions of Jesus to this man calling on him to sell everything he had and give to the poor struck at the heart of this man’s real god, his wealth.  God knows even more clearly than we do regarding who or what is our god and His desire is that we would learn to yield fully to Him.  When we realize that now is the time to pray, we find that now is the time to yield to God in everything we think and do.

Today, how will you PRAY?

Encouragement and Prayer: Fleeting Life! (11/17/23)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Fleeting Life! (11/17/23)

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This is the audio from the November 17, 2023 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

“The LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.”
Genesis 2:7 (NIV)

This week we will focus our prayer time on living a not so ordinary life!  Our relationship with God, and our view of His creation of us, greatly influences the value we place on life and how we live the life we have been given.  Life has inherent value because it is a part of God’s creative handiwork.  We can see the result of a society that rejects God — life quickly loses value because we have nothing left to base that value on.

“Show me, O LORD, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting is my life.”
Psalm 39:4 (NIV)

As you pray this week, ask God to help you see the fullness of life which Jesus came to give.  Pray that your understanding of a fleeting life would cause you to value each opportunity God gives you.  Pray that you would know the importance of today as the time to honor God. In all things.  Pray that the people around you would know how fleeting life is and not put off the important decision of pursuing God.

You can find the live video feeds of these encouragement and prayer times on Impact Prayer Ministry’s Facebook page.

In prayer,
Tom

Encouragement and Prayer: Fountain of Life! (11/16/23)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Fountain of Life! (11/16/23)

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This is the audio from the November 16, 2023 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

“The LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.”
Genesis 2:7 (NIV)

This week we will focus our prayer time on living a not so ordinary life!  Our relationship with God, and our view of His creation of us, greatly influences the value we place on life and how we live the life we have been given.  Life has inherent value because it is a part of God’s creative handiwork.  We can see the result of a society that rejects God — life quickly loses value because we have nothing left to base that value on.

“For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light.”
Psalm 36:9 (NIV)

As you pray this week, ask God to help you see the fullness of life which Jesus came to give.  Pray that God’s presence would spring up within you as your fountain of life.  Pray that you would live with clarity as God’s light illuminates your way.  Pray that God would be the source of light and life within you.  Pray that the people around you would see the light of God through you.

You can find the live video feeds of these encouragement and prayer times on Impact Prayer Ministry’s Facebook page.

In prayer,
Tom

Encouragement and Prayer: Blameless Life! (11/15/23)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Blameless Life! (11/15/23)

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This is the audio from the November 15, 2023 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

“The LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.”
Genesis 2:7 (NIV)

This week we will focus our prayer time on living a not so ordinary life!  Our relationship with God, and our view of His creation of us, greatly influences the value we place on life and how we live the life we have been given.  Life has inherent value because it is a part of God’s creative handiwork.  We can see the result of a society that rejects God — life quickly loses value because we have nothing left to base that value on.

“Vindicate me, O LORD, for I have led a blameless life; have trusted in the LORD without wavering.”
Psalm 26:1 (NIV)

As you pray this week, ask God to help you see the fullness of life which Jesus came to give.  Pray that your trust of God would lead you in a blameless life.  Pray that you would trust God to vindicate you when enemy uses people to attack you.  Pray that the people around you would see your faithfulness to God and have no valid accusations against you.

You can find the live video feeds of these encouragement and prayer times on Impact Prayer Ministry’s Facebook page.

In prayer,
Tom

Encouragement and Prayer: Path of Life! (11/14/23)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Path of Life! (11/14/23)

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This is the audio from the November 14, 2023 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

“The LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.”
Genesis 2:7 (NIV)

This week we will focus our prayer time on living a not so ordinary life!  Our relationship with God, and our view of His creation of us, greatly influences the value we place on life and how we live the life we have been given.  Life has inherent value because it is a part of God’s creative handiwork.  We can see the result of a society that rejects God — life quickly loses value because we have nothing left to base that value on.

“You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.”
Psalm 16:11 (NIV)

As you pray this week, ask God to help you see the fullness of life which Jesus came to give.  Pray that you would seek God as the path that leads to life.  Pray that the people around you would see God’s joy in you as you follow His path.  Pray that your life would set an example to help others walk this path of life.

You can find the live video feeds of these encouragement and prayer times on Impact Prayer Ministry’s Facebook page.

In prayer,
Tom

Encouragement and Prayer: Choose Life! (11/13/23)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Choose Life! (11/13/23)

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This is the audio from the November 13, 2023 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

“The LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.”
Genesis 2:7 (NIV)

This week we will focus our prayer time on living a not so ordinary life!  Our relationship with God, and our view of His creation of us, greatly influences the value we place on life and how we live the life we have been given.  Life has inherent value because it is a part of God’s creative handiwork.  We can see the result of a society that rejects God — life quickly loses value because we have nothing left to base that value on.  As you pray this week, ask God to help you see the fullness of life which Jesus came to give.  Pray that your relationship with Jesus would help you see your life as more than ordinary.  Pray that you would see yourself, and all people, as part of the creative nature of God.  Pray that you would value life and speak up for those who can’t speak for themselves.

“This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live.”
Deuteronomy 30:19 (NIV)

Pray that your value of life would be seen in the choices you make.  Pray that the people around you would choose life for the benefit of future generations.

You can find the live video feeds of these encouragement and prayer times on Impact Prayer Ministry’s Facebook page.

In prayer,
Tom

Good News: A Not So Ordinary LIFE! (Sermon Audio)
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Good News: A Not So Ordinary LIFE! (Sermon Audio)

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This is the audio from the November 12, 2023 sermon, “Good News: A Not So Ordinary LIFE”, shared by Tom Lemler at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

Text: Luke 17

“The LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.”
Genesis 2:7 (NIV)

Today I continued a series from the gospel of Luke as we gaze deeply into God’s Word to find the good news of Jesus shared with us by Luke the physician.  As Jesus walked this earth, much of what we know about His activities took place in the ordinary circumstances of life.  Ordinary people going about the ordinary tasks of life, at least until they met Jesus.  Whether you think your life is ordinary, extraordinary, or less than ordinary, God’s desire is that you would have a not so ordinary . . .

  • Love: — (Luke 17:1-4)

    • The ordinary love of this world tends to focus on self more than sacrifice.  As Jesus teaches in the context of temptation and sin, He points us to the importance of forgiveness.  With sin being inevitable, His desire is that we not be the cause of the sin others find themselves involved in.  The Bible teaches us that love covers a multitude of sin and we experience that when we find God’s forgiveness of our sin and then reflect that same nature in the way we forgive others.  When we live with a not so ordinary love, we learn and practice forgiveness not based on what is deserved but based on what is needed.

  • Involvement: — (Luke 17:5-10)

    • The ordinary involvement of this world generally revolves around us doing what we want to do.  Even when we do what is required, we do so with a constant awareness of how we benefit.  Sometimes our involvement in the work of God reflects more of what we want than what He wants.  Jesus taught that we must always keep in mind the difference between God and us in relationship to responsibility and authority.  When we live with a not so ordinary involvement, our service to God is based on Him being in charge and us being His servant.

  • Faith: — (Luke 17:11-19)

    • The ordinary faith of this world isn’t really faith at all but rather a human attempt to believe in what we create in our own mind.  When Jesus heals ten men who had leprosy, He says it is their faith that made them well.  We often focus, with good reason, on the one who returned to give thanks, but it appears that all of them were healed as they went off in obedience to the command of Jesus.  As lepers, their actions of going to show themselves to the priest would be completely unacceptable if they had arrived with visible signs of leprosy.  When we live with a not so ordinary faith, we take God at his Word in more than a mental acknowledgement but in a life of obedient action.

  • Example: — (Luke 17:20-37)

    • The ordinary examples of this world are often people who accomplish great things and claim to do so on their own.  As Jesus taught about the coming of God’s kingdom, He did so with examples of faithful obedience in the midst of a disbelieving culture.  The Bible then tells us that all of the events recorded for us in God’s Word are there as examples for us in either how to live or how not to live.  When we live with a not so ordinary example, our life becomes a shining light of Jesus that we choose to make visible everywhere we go.

Today, how will you live a not so ordinary LIFE?